Hi!  I’m Melissa!  My mission is to empower you to OWN your fitness journey.

To me, this means I’ll help you focus on what you can control instead of worrying about things you can’t.  I’ll help you take an intelligent approach to achieving your goals rather than wishing and dreaming it to happen.  I’ll help you stay consistent in your goals, even when life happens and things come up.  I’ll work on the details so that you can focus on the big picture.   You will take an active role in designing and executing your fitness plan.

Background
I’m a Certified Personal Trainer with the American Council on Exercise.  I hold a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University in Biomedical Engineering. Formerly a pre-medical student, I decided I would rather focus on helping prevent medical issues through behavior modification and lifestyle choices rather than treat them with drugs or surgery.

An avid exerciser, I’ve tried many different forms of exercise before finding my own unique style. Growing up, my primary sports were swimming & Taekwondo; by the time I reached high school, I earned my first-degree black belt in Taekwondo through the Kukkiwon. Unfortunately as an engineering and pre-medical student in college, I fitness and nutrition were low priority for me.  I ended up leading an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle even through my first few years after college, which led me to gain well more than the average “Freshman 15”.   I discovered yoga in 2004 and that (very) slowly kickstarted my lifestyle change. I began strength training regularly in 2007 with the help of a trainer, and I was able to lose 60 lbs.

In 2009, I discovered the sport of Triathlon and was immediately hooked!  After entering the scene as Chicago Tri Club’s 2009 Rookie of the Year, I’ve been an active member of the Chicago endurance community. Over the years, I’ve completed several Half-Ironman distance races (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run), as well as shorter Sprint and Olympic distance races. In addition, I also found a love of running and have completed several marathons and half marathons. Funnily, I’ve never done a 10km running race where they haven’t made me swim and run beforehand!

My passion for the sport was evident to others, and I was quickly recruited into leadership positions for both the Chicago Tri Club (CTC) and the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA).  For the Tri Club, I served consecutive 2-year terms as Newbie Chair, Vice President, and President.  They still can’t manage without me, so I’m currently the Treasurer and co-chair of the club’s Athletic Committee. I’ve also served as a group leader for CARA Marathon and Half Marathon training, as well as their Beginner Running Program and their Six Series.

I decided to become certified in personal training after becoming injured a few years ago and slowly regaining the weight I’d lost.  I took ownership of my fitness by focusing on what my body is presently capable of. This meant taking a break from endurance sports and getting back in the gym to work on strength and muscular imbalances. Through this process of rehabilitating myself and re-losing weight, I also regained my love of lifting and the mind-body connection.

As someone who’s struggled through weight gain and injuries, I want to use my experience and knowledge to empower others to take ownership of their fitness in order to reach their goals.   I’m eternally grateful to my old trainer and various coaches that have helped me during my journey, and I would love to help others in return!